dOn, I saw those images, and I understand how it has upset you. But did you discuss your cosmetic expectations with Bob before the amp build? You have to realize by accusing Bob of having some random kids to do the paint work was not very tactful and insulting. I think the transformer cover you received are old stock items that were not painted by Bob. I suspect there was lack of communication that resulted in your dissatisfaction. I would have I respectfully asked Bob if he could repaint or replace the transformer covers. I have found him to be very helpful and reasonable. The best advice I can give you is to try to contact Bob (an apology for your remarks may help) and work it out between yourselves. I think Bob spoke out of anger when he told you never to contact him again. He may be over it by now. It's best not vent on this forum. It only works against you to keep on like this.

Dr K wrote:dOn, I saw those images, and I understand how it has upset you. But did you discuss your cosmetic expectations with Bob before the amp build? You have to realize by accusing Bob of having some random kids to do the paint work was not very tactful and insulting. I think the transformer cover you received are old stock items that were not painted by Bob. I suspect there was lack of communication that resulted in your dissatisfaction. I would have I respectfully asked Bob if he could repaint or replace the transformer covers. I have found him to be very helpful and reasonable. The best advice I can give you is to try to contact Bob (an apology for your remarks may help) and work it out between yourselves. I think Bob spoke out of anger when he told you never to contact him again. He may be over it by now. It's best not vent on this forum. It only works against you to keep on like this.

Dr K wrote:dOn, I saw those images, and I understand how it has upset you. But did you discuss your cosmetic expectations with Bob before the amp build?

As I've said before, I didn't think I had to have a discussion with Bob to remind him that I'd like the amp to be presentable. That's a given when you have someone as legenday as Bob Carver build you a custom amp... isn't it?

I didn't expect a high dollar perfect paint job.

Heck, I would have been happy with a hastily applied Krylon rattle can finish. But, I didn't even get that. I got a paint job that looks like someone brushed on a heavy coat of rubberized undercoating and then mooshed a piece of window screen into it. After it dried, they peeled off the screen and thought it looked presentable I guess?

There had to be a discussion at the Carver "lab" about the quality of the finish. Anyone that saw the amp must have noticed the paint imperfections and would have hopefully said..."Bob, you're not going to send out a custom amp to a customer looking like this are you?" Bob obviously said... "just pack it up and send it out as/is".

My final thoughts,,,, I would have been surprised too,,,communication issues,,, expectation issues,,but enough,,,pick up the phone and get it worked out,,there has to be some common ground/resolution.I hope it works out well for you.

Bob, I know you read these forums and are aware of this post. Why don't you chime in and tell me what exactly happened to this amp build?

Jordon said via email this morning that you never mentioned the LED defeat switch to him. Yet, you and I spoke via email about it at least twice? I could probably dig up the email where you told me the amp would have the LED defeat switch.

Just how far removed from this build were you? I paid a lot of money to have Bob Carver build me an amp I could be proud of. I got something totally different.

I even paid you the $370 shipping via paypal AFTER I received the amp, had gone over it but was not satisfied with it. I felt that paying you for the shipping was the right thing to do because I agreed to do so.

You agreed to build me an amp with certain cosmetic expectations (acceptable paint finish) and certain features (LED defeat). You didn't do that.

thuffman03 wrote: you really should be taking this up with Bob Carver directly as there really is no recourse available via this forum.

Bob told me via email not to contact him again. This is my only alternative.

I know he reads the posts because he emailed me after I had posted about the cost of the amplifier... He assured me the cost would be the same as we had discussed a year ago plus a little extra for his lab assistants time.

In all honesty, the price we had discussed a year ago was $1500. I know that sounds too cheap for a 100wpc carver amp but here's the rest of the story...

When I contacted Bob back in 2011, he said he could fix my genesis amp for $1100 maximum. I told him that I didn't want to spend another $300-$400 shipping my amp to yet another tech who was "sure" he could fix it. He assured me and asked me to send the amp to him... "I can fix anything", he said.

Not long after our phone conversation, the amp arrived at his "lab". He had a look at it & emailed me saying the price would go up to $1500 to repair it. I agreed. He said it wouldn't take very long to get it repaired.

A couple months go by with no contact. I email and find out he hasn't started the repairs yet. My back hurts, it's heavy, it's complicated etc etc etc.

Another couple months go by and still no contact. I email again and he tells me he can't repair it afterall. It's too messed up from the 3 previous repair attempts.

He sensed my disappointment and offered to build me a tube amp inside the Genesis chassis. He said the amp was too nice to throw out. Bob knew that I hadn't seen this amp in 7 long years as it travelled the country going from technician to technician in hopes of being repaired.

He said he'd do the entire job for the previously stated price of $1500. I think he said this because he felt bad that he couldn't fix it after he'd assured me that he could.

During the next 6-8 months Bob and I emailed each other a lot about what I wanted and how the build was progressing. I kept asking for pictures of the amp build progress. I did finally get a picture of Bob holding a tube amp (was it mine? I don't even know). I responded that I was hoping to see a picture of the amp inside the genesis chassis. This would give me some reassurance that the build was actually progressing.

It wasn't until very recently that bob sent me the picture of him with the knife. I posted it here the same day he sent it to me. So, after a year+, I finally know that my amp build is actually happening. He must have gotten tired of me asking when my amp might be finished because it was a whilwind of pics and progression emails during the next couple weeks and then...POOF, it was magically completed.

I emailed Bob asking what the total cost would be. I knew the amp was going to be $1500 (+ a little for Jordons time) but I didn't know how much the shipping was.

No response from Bob.

Next, I get this email from the lab assistant... "This is Jordon, Bob Carver's lab assistant. The amp is done and burning in, and it looks and sounds stunning! We are about ready to ship it out to you but we need your address first.

Bob has decided that the price of this amplifier is $2749 plus shipping, which can be determined when we get your address. We want to burn it in for at least three or four more days, and then if you have made the deposit in to Bob's Paypal account by that time (bob.sunfire@gmail.com) we will ship it out to you in the original wood crate it came to us in."

I was flabbergasted. The price suddenly jumped from the $1500 we discussed, to almost double... PLUS shipping?! I did mention my surprise to both jordon and bob about the price doubling but in the end I felt that the amp was probably worth the $2749 snd there wasn't much I could do since "Bob has decided" my amplifiers price was now magically going to be $2749.

I paid via paypal.

A few weeks later Bob arranged & paid for the shipping ($370). The amp arrived a week or so later.

You all know the rest of the story... I was stunned to see what my custom, double the agreed upon price, supposed bob carver creation looked like. I was even more stunned to find that because I asked "WTF happened" (yes, somewhat sarcastically), the lifetime warranty and any hopes of future advice relating to my amp were gone too.

Even after I saw the sh*t job done on my amp and bob told me not to contact him again, I still went to my paypal and paid him the $370 for the shipping. In retrospect, maybe I should have kept the $370 to lessen the sting of being hosed by "the father". But, I am an honest guy and I try to treat others as I would expect to be treated.

Now, maybe you all can see why I am so mad about this amp.

Last edited by d0n on Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:18 pm, edited 6 times in total.

d0n wrote:The top will be off when using the amp. I'll see the tubes enough I think. I'm more about hearing the music than seeing tubes glowing anyway. I usually shut the lights off on all my gear while I'm listening. Bob put blue LEDs in the face of this amp and he put an on/off switch for me. I hate staring at lights while I'm enjoying my music.

Anyone else?

Well, he said he put the LED defeat switch in???!!!

Last edited by d0n on Wed Oct 24, 2012 12:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.